Top 10 Non-Financial Investments. John Ndege and I talked recently about non-financial investments and came up with a list of the top five things we’d recommend people invest in. Although Maven Adviser is mainly concerned with personal investments and finance, there’s way more to it than that. You can’t focus on money in isolation, without thinking about what else is important in life.

Nine years ago, Buffett issued a challenge to the hedge fund industry as a whole that nobody could put together a portfolio which could outperform a Standard and Poor’s 500 (the largest companies with stocks listed on NASDAQ or NYSE) over a ten-year period.

John Ndege joined me recently to chat about books and reading habits. Although we’re both prolific readers, John admitted spending $1,100 on books in 2016. His aim was to master what other people have experienced, so he could learn from their successes and failures and apply that to his own life

In this post I will be sharing my thoughts on the strengths that great advisers demonstrate, which some clients may deem as weaknesses. Most mature money management and financial strategies are counterintuitive and against conventional wisdom. Modern media and access to ‘free’ information is maybe our biggest threat and our client’s most destructive influence.

The real value is created by frequently coming back to your plan (at least annually) and making the changes that become necessary as life plays out. The plan itself reflects just one period of time - the planning process trumps the actual plan.

Lifestyle financial planning is simple but not easy. What I plan for my clients is the same as I plan for myself, I have a plan built using the same software and assumptions.

I could sum it up as not wanting to wake up dead tomorrow and leave my family financially destitute (hence I have adequate life insurance), the same if I were to have a prolonged illness or accident. I would want to be financially protected (hence I have adequate income protection). I also wish to save as much as I can for my unknown future and invest according to what history has shown is wise (a well diversified global portfolio of high quality securities, costs to a minimum). Not become a burden on my family or the state in my later life if I enter a care home and to leave a meaningful legacy to the causes and people I care about the most, all delivered in the most tax optimal way.

Along with living a fulfilled, fun and active life, this is what I wish for financially. In essence this is the same outcome the families I serve want. I insure myself in the same way I preach, I invest in the same way I preach. How on earth could it be any other way? Our long term goals are the same.

In ensuring the financial lives of the families I advise, in turn i'm ensuring the lives of my own family. This is why financial advice is considered a noble profession. One that i'm very proud to be a part of.

The content of this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute a personal recommendation. You should always speak to an FCA regulated financial adviser when considering financial advice. Any recommendation made will be based on a full suitability assessment that will include a comprehensive review of your circumstances, needs and objectives.